The Skill of Release

Lichtenberg

3 years ago

The Skill of Release – Teachings of Ajaan Lee Dhammadharo.This book is written to be read for reflection, a little at a time. Many of the short passages, in particular, will reveal their meaning after repeated thought. Some of the passages will challenge many current ideas on how a Dhamma practitioner ought to communicate. As Ajaan Lee cautioned his listeners, Dhamma teachings should not be accepted or rejected right off hand. Instead, they should be listened to with an open mind and then put to the test in experience to see if they can help uncover unwitting preconceptions. The Skill of Release consists of teachings on two major themes. The first, which has provided the book with its title, is Ajaan Lee’s frequent portrayal of Buddhism as a skill. This skill involves mastery not only of the techniques of meditation, but also of adroit ways of viewing the world and events in daily life so that one can gain freedom from the burdens that the unskillful mind places on itself. This approach culminates in what he calls the skill of release, the awareness that brings about the mind’s total liberation. The second theme concerns the central role that breath meditation plays in developing this skill. For Ajaan Lee, Buddhist doctrines show their true meaning only when one refers them to the practice of keeping the breath in mind.